Removing stored material using a sweep having bumpers

ABSTRACT

Material is removed from a storage silo that has a conveyor outlet, a system for supporting the outlet within the silo comprising removable legs mounted in deployed positions, and a sweep comprising bumpers. The material is extracted until one leg is accessible out of the material, which is then removed from the deployed position thereof. The sweep is then operated to continue extracting more material until one bumper thereof bumps into another of the deployed legs. The sweep is then stopped, and that other leg is also removed from the deployed position thereof. This sequence of operating and stopping the sweep, and removing each deployed leg, is continued for each of the deployed legs until all of the legs are removed from the deployed positions. Each removed leg may be placed onto the supporting system in a stored position thereof. The sweep is then operated to continue extracting more material.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of application Ser. No. 14/545,885filed Jul. 1, 2015, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser.No. 13/999,396 filed Feb. 21, 2014, which claims the benefit ofprovisional application No. 61/850,770 filed Feb. 23, 2013, nowabandoned, all of which are incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the delivery of material beingtransported by a conveyor entraining the material within a flow offluid, and in particular to the depositing of granular material by apneumatic conveyor into a storage silo; and further relates to themethod for removing the material from the silo when the silo is equippedwith a bin sweep.

Background Art

Fluid flow conveyors, particularly pneumatic conveyor systems, havebecome a popular alternative to augers and belt conveyors for themovement of granular materials. Pneumatic conveyor systems areespecially suitable for farm grains for the following reasons: grain iscarried within a stream of air for less grain damage; a pneumaticconveyor is more economical to install; a pneumatic conveyor is moreversatile for multiple silos and multiple silo types at a storagefacility; pneumatic conveyors are sealed against water and pestinfiltration between receiving point to delivery of the grain; onepneumatic conveyor system can be utilized to move a variety of graintypes without cross contamination, simply by turning a valve distributorbetween silos; and pneumatic conveyor systems are easier to maintain.

Prior art pneumatic conveyor systems delivering grain to the top ofstorage silos introduce problems for these systems: a cyclone separatoris required for the top of each silo; the entire system is exterior ofthe silo, exposing the machinery to weather-related damage; exteriorsupports that may be expensive must be used to support the pneumaticconveyor tubing; roof-mounted supports for the pneumatic conveyor andseparator exert forces that tend to pull down the silo and collapse it;much of the pneumatic conveyor system is high above ground and noteasily serviced; grain-to-grain damage occurs due to the falling ofgrain from the silo top to the bottom of the silo, which only increaseswith the height of the silo; and mixed granular materials experienceproduct separation when dropped from the top of a silo.

Furthermore, an efficiency loss of approximately ten percent for everytwenty-five feet (seven and one-half meters) of vertical rise is commonto all pneumatic conveyor systems. For example, a pneumatic conveyorsystem used to fill a silo one hundred feet (thirty meters) tall wouldoperate at 40% less than full efficiency (100 ft×(10%/25 ft)=40% loss;30 m×(10%/7.5 m)=40% loss).

U.S. Pat. No. 4,082,364, Apr. 4, 1978, to Krambrock describes a methodfor sequentially filling a series of receiving stations from the topsthereof using a pneumatic conveyor, wherein each station is filled untilthe surface of the deposited material therewithin is just below theinlet thereof from the pneumatic conveyor and then this surface acts asa deflecting surface to direct the airflow entraining the material ontothe next station.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,632,063, Oct. 14, 2003, to Karlsen et al. describes asystem for reducing material segregation between finer and coarsermaterial during filling of a silo from its top by controlling theentraining airflow to be a minimum, wherein the material within the siloas it is being filled can eventually reach the level of the outlet ofthe system for the material.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,603,769, Aug. 5, 1986, to Bach et al. describes avertical chute for reducing grain dust with a series of verticallyaligned outlets for filling a silo from its top, wherein the depositedgrain blocks each outlet sequentially from lower to upper as the silo isfilled.

The article Pneumatic Conveying Systems, course No. M05-010, no date, byA. Bhatia of Continuing Education and Development, Inc. discusses thepresent state of the art of pneumatic conveyors; and defines “choking”as the settling out downwardly of the entrained material from theentraining airflow when the airflow is flowing upwardly vertically invertically oriented conveying piping, particularly before reaching theconveyor's destination and thus is to be avoided.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An objective of the present invention is to remove a major source ofcontamination into storage silos due to pneumatic conveyor systems byeliminating rooftop delivery of the material by the pneumatic conveyor.

Another objective is to reduce the expense of pneumatic conveyor systemsby eliminating the components for rooftop delivery such as a cycloneseparator and exterior supports for the pneumatic tubes.

Another objective is to increase the ease of maintenance of pneumaticconveyor systems by routing the pneumatic tubes connected to a storagesilo near ground level.

Another objective is to protect the delivery system for a storage siloconnected to a pneumatic conveyor from weather-related damage bylocating and supporting the delivery system within the silo.

Another objective is to reduce grain-to-grain damage, and also productseparation of mixed granular materials, by reducing the height throughwhich the materials drop when deposited within a storage silo.

Another objective is to reinforce a storage silo against collapse due tothe added weights and forces of the delivery system and the granularmaterial when stored within the silo.

Another objective is to more evenly distribute the supported weight andforces of the delivery system for a storage silo and the granularmaterial when stored within the silo, while also providing for anunobstructed floor area for mechanical or manual sweeping of the silofloor.

Another objective, when a storage silo is equipped with a bin sweep, isto protect the bin sweep from damage during the emptying of the silothat may occur due to impacting against the system that supports thesystem that delivers material to the silo.

The delivery system of the present invention delivers material beingtransported by a conveyor entraining the material within a flow offluid. The system comprises a horizontal section and a vertical section.The vertical section comprises a tube for receiving the fluid flowentraining the material, and separators for selectively separating thematerial from the fluid flow. A support vertically suspends the systemwithin a storage silo. The support comprises a plurality of spaced,removable support legs mounted in either deployed positions or storedpositions. The tube, the separators, and the support are all within thesilo.

The present invention reduces the average drop height of the separatedmaterial. This reduces grain-to-grain damage and also product separationof mixed granular materials. The reduction in average drop height of theseparated material also increases the efficiency of the pneumaticconveyor system. Whereas a prior art pneumatic conveyor system havingrooftop delivery of the material typically would have, for example, fora one-hundred-foot (thirty-meter) high silo a 40% loss of efficiency (ashereinbefore stated), the present invention with four separators bottomto top for the same silo would have a calculated loss of only 25%((10%+20%+30%+40%)/4)=25%). This is an increase of delivery efficiencyby fifteen percentage points, or 25%(((100%−25%)−(100%−40%))/(100%−40%)=125%).

An additional advantage of the present invention over the prior art isthe simplicity of operation, with the separators acting automaticallyand with no moving parts being required for the delivery system.

A method of the present invention, when the silo is equipped with a binsweep having bumpers, is for removing the material from the silo, andcomprises extracting the material until one of the support legs isaccessible out of the material, and then removing that leg from thedeployed position thereof and placing that leg in the stored positionthereof. The bin sweep is subsequently operated to continue to extractmore of the material until one of the bumpers bumps into another of thelegs that is still mounted in the deployed position thereof, and thenthe bin sweep is stopped. This leg is likewise removed from the deployedposition thereof and placed in the stored position thereof. Thissequence of operating the bin sweep until one of the bumpers bumps intoanother of the still-mounted support legs, stopping the bin sweep, andremoving and placing that support leg in the stored position thereofcontinues until all of the support legs are in the stored positionsthereof, providing an unobstructed silo floor. The bin sweep can then beoperated to continue extracting more of the material from the silo.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of one embodiment of the presentinvention within a storage silo comprising a vertical support comprisingthree clamp assemblies with braces and wall brackets, a horizontalsupport comprising four clamp assemblies with support legs, and adeflector.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the embodiment of the present invention, asshown in FIG. 1, within the storage silo, partly schematically andbroken, showing the horizontal support comprising four clamp assemblies,support legs in deployed positions, a subframe, stanchions, and adeflector.

FIG. 3 is an end view of the embodiment of the present invention, asshown in FIG. 2, showing the horizontal support.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view, partly broken, taken on the offsetcross-sectional line 4-4 in FIG. 2 showing one clamp assembly and thesupport legs thereof of the horizontal support, and the deflector andone set of the stanchions thereof.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view, partly broken, taken on line 5-5 inFIG. 2 showing the vertical elbow clamp assembly of the horizontalsupport.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 6-6 in FIG. 2 showing thesubframe and the stanchions thereof of the horizontal support.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 7-7 in FIG. 2 showing thesubframe and the support legs thereof of the horizontal support.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a support leg of thehorizontal support as shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 9 is a perspective, partially exploded, view of another embodimentof a support leg of the horizontal support as shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 10-10 in FIG. 2 showingthe support legs of the horizontal support.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view, partly broken, taken on line 11-11 inFIG. 2 showing the stanchions of the horizontal support.

FIG. 12 is a side view of the embodiment of the present invention, asshown in FIG. 2, showing the support legs of the horizontal support instored positions.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a bin sweep bumper ofthe present invention.

FIG. 14 is a schematic top view of one embodiment of the presentinvention, as shown in FIG. 1, within a storage silo having a bin sweepcomprising bin sweep bumpers of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a schematic view of the embodiment of the present invention,as shown in FIG. 1, showing the extracting of the material from the silountil one of the support legs is accessible during the removal of thematerial from the silo.

FIG. 16 is a schematic view, partly broken, of the embodiment of thepresent invention, as shown in FIG. 15, showing the removing and theplacing of the support legs in stored positions that had been mounted inthe deployed positions, and the operating of the bin sweep to continueextracting more of the material until one of the bumpers bumps intoanother support leg that is still mounted in the deployed position.

FIG. 17 is a schematic view, partly broken, of the embodiment of thepresent invention, as shown in FIG. 16, showing sequentially removingand placing another of the support legs in the stored position that hadbeen mounted in the deployed position, and the continuing of theoperating of the bin sweep until again one of the bumpers bumps intoanother support leg that is still mounted in the deployed position.

FIG. 18 is a schematic view, partly broken, of the embodiment of thepresent invention, as shown in FIG. 17, showing operating the bin sweepto continue extracting more material after all of the sequentiallyremoving and placing of the support legs in the stored positions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is supported within a vertical storage silo 99having a wall 91 and a floor 92 as shown schematically in FIG. 1. Thesilo 99 is for the removable storage of granular material 93, forexample grain, that, when so stored, has a material surface (not shown).Although the present invention is contemplated primarily for grain, theintent of the claimed invention is to be construed to include all mannerof granular material. Pelletized food products, fuels, coal, animalfeeds, plastics, and fiber products are a few of the other itemssuitable for pneumatic conveying for removable storage.

The present invention delivers the material 93 to the silo 99 when thematerial is transported by a conveyor entraining the material within aflow of fluid. One embodiment of the present invention is contemplatedto be used with a conventional pneumatic conveyor system that entrainsthe material within a flow of air for depositing the material 93 intothe silo 99.

A conventional pneumatic charging system is shown generally in FIG. 1 aspneumatic conveyor 94. Pneumatic conveyor 94 is known in the art.Typically, a blower (not shown) supplies a flow of air to a rotaryairlock (not shown). The rotary airlock entrains the material 93 to beconveyed into the airflow creating a pneumatic material flow that is amixture of the airflow entraining the conveyed material to be propelledtoward the silo 99. The pneumatic conveyor 94 connects to a tube 95 forconveying of the pneumatic material flow. The tube 95 is a pneumatictransfer tube known in the art.

The present invention comprises an outlet of the pneumatic conveyor 94.One embodiment of the present invention is shown schematically in FIG. 1as, generally, a delivery system 399. The delivery system 399 has ahorizontal section and a vertical section and at least an elbowinterconnecting the horizontal and vertical sections that togethercomprise a series of tubes and separators within the silo 99. A supportsystem 400 supports the delivery system 399 within the silo 99. The tube95 connects to a horizontal tube 391 of the horizontal section of thedelivery system 399 for conveying the pneumatic material flow into thesilo 99. The horizontal tube 391 may be slightly angled from beingexactly horizontal, either upwardly or downwardly, to improve andmaintain the pneumatic material flow to provide maximum conveyance ofthe material. The horizontal tube 391 enters the silo 99 through a lowerportion of the silo wall 91. An elbow 392 interconnects the horizontaltube 391 and a vertical tube 393 of the vertical section for conveyingthe pneumatic material flow upwardly within the silo 99. The verticaltube 393 is located at and along the vertical center of the silo 99.

The vertical tube 393 is connected to an upstream separator 394 of thevertical section of the delivery system 399 by slipping into theupstream separator 394. The upstream separator 394 comprises a verticaltube 395 for conveying the pneumatic material flow upwardly from theupstream separator 394. The upstream separator 394 selectively eitherseparates the material from the airflow and deposits the separatedmaterial 93 into the silo 99; or else flows the pneumatic material flowthrough the upstream separator 394, without separating the material fromthe airflow, and into the vertical tube 395.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the vertical tube 395 is connected toa downstream separator 396 of the vertical section of the deliverysystem 399 by slipping into the downstream separator 396. The downstreamseparator 396 is vertically above the upstream separator 394 anddownstream of the upstream separator 394. The downstream separator 396comprises a vertical tube 397 for conveying the pneumatic material flowupwardly from the downstream separator 396. The downstream separator 396selectively either separates the material from the airflow and depositsthe separated material 93 into the silo 99 onto the separated material93 deposited by the upstream separator 394; or else flows the pneumaticmaterial flow through the downstream separator 396, without separatingthe material from the airflow, and into the vertical tube 397.

The vertical tube 397, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, connects to atop separator 398 of the vertical section of the delivery system 399that is vertically above both the upstream separator 394 and thedownstream separator 396 and that is downstream of the downstreamseparator 396. The top separator 398 comprises an open cap on the top ofthe top separator 398. The top separator 398 selectively eitherseparates the material from the airflow and deposits the separatedmaterial 93 into the silo 99 onto the separated material 93 deposited byboth the upstream separator 394 and the downstream separator 396; orelse flows the pneumatic material flow through the top separator 398,without separating the material from the airflow, toward the cap.

One embodiment, not shown, of a material separator of the presentinvention that is not a top separator, that, for the embodiment shown inFIG. 1, can be any separator of the delivery system 399 that is not thetop separator 398, has an inlet, an outlet below the inlet, and acylindrical outlet tube above the inlet. The outlet tube is generallycylindrical in its entirety, and has the same outside diameter as theoutside diameter of the vertical tube. For the embodiment shown in FIG.1, the outlet tube can be any of the vertical tube that any of theseparators of the delivery system 399, that is not the top separator398, comprises. The material separator includes an inlet tube formingthe inlet at the upper end of the inlet tube. The lower end of the inlettube is below the outlet. The inside diameter of the inlet tube isgreater than the outside diameter of the vertical tube. The verticaltube thus slips into the inlet tube of the material separator. Thematerial separator has a metal wall that interconnects the outlet andthe outlet tube. The wall forms a cylindrical base and a forcing coneabove the cylindrical base. The inside diameter of the cylindrical baseis greater than the outside diameter of the inlet tube, forming theoutlet at the lower end of the cylindrical base. A plurality of websstructurally interconnect and space apart the cylindrical base and theinlet tube, thus together with the inlet tube and the wallinterconnecting together the inlet, the outlet, and the outlet tube. Theforcing cone tapers upwardly and inwardly to the outlet tube, forming athrough aperture between the forcing cone and the outlet tube. Theinlet, the outlet, the inlet tube, the cylindrical base, essentially theentire forcing cone, and the webs are all vertically below the throughaperture on the proximal side of the through aperture. Essentially theentire outlet tube is vertically above the through aperture on thedistal side of the through aperture.

The material separator, the inlet, the outlet, the through aperture, theoutlet tube, and the inlet tube are coaxial. The relative sizes of thematerial separator may be different based upon which specific granularmaterial 93 is primarily to be delivered to the silo 99. For example,for grain, in the embodiment of the material separator, the cylindricalbase has an inside diameter about three times the outside diameter ofthe inlet tube, and the axial distance between the outlet and thethrough aperture is approximately six times the diameter of the inlet.

In one embodiment, not shown, of the top separator of the presentinvention, a vertical tube conveys the pneumatic material flow upwardly,from upstream of the top separator 398, downstream into the topseparator 398. The vertical tube conveys the pneumatic material flowfrom the uppermost material separator of the delivery system 399 that isnot the top separator 398. For the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, thatvertical tube is the vertical tube 397 shown in FIG. 1 that thedownstream separator 396 (which is the uppermost separator that is notthe top separator 398) of the delivery system 399 comprises.

The top separator has an inlet, a first outlet below the top separatorinlet, and a second outlet above the top separator inlet. The verticaltube extends into and terminates within the top separator forming thetop separator inlet at the upper end of the vertical tube. The topseparator has a metal wall that interconnects the first and secondoutlets thereof. The wall forms a cylindrical base and a cone above thiscylindrical base. The inside diameter of this cylindrical base isgreater than the outside diameter of the vertical tube, forming thefirst outlet of the top separator at the lower end of this cylindricalbase. A plurality of webs structurally interconnect and space apart thiscylindrical base and the vertical tube, thus together with the verticaltube and the top separator wall interconnecting together the inletthereof, the first outlet thereof, and the second outlet thereof. Thetop separator cone tapers upwardly and inwardly to a diameter about twotimes the diameter of the top separator inlet at the top separatorsecond outlet. An open cap is at the top separator second outlet and hasa stem. A plurality of webs interconnect and space apart the stem andthe top separator cone at the top separator second outlet, centering thestem into the top separator second outlet. The open cap is mushroomshaped, blocking continued vertical flow, and redirects any flow throughthe top separator second outlet downwardly and out of the top separator.

The top separator, the inlet thereof, the first outlet thereof, and thesecond outlet thereof are coaxial. The relative sizes of the topseparator may be different based upon which specific granular material93 is primarily to be delivered to the silo 99. For example, for grain,in the embodiment of the top separator, the cylindrical base thereof hasan inside diameter about three times the outside diameter of thevertical tube. The overall height of the top separator is about sixtimes the diameter of the inlet thereof.

The support system 400 comprises a vertical support 401 and a horizontalsupport 408. The vertical support 401 suspends and centers the deliverysystem 399 within the silo 99, and reinforces the silo 99 againstcollapse. The horizontal support 408 selectively supports the deliverysystem 399 upon the floor 92 of the silo 99. The supported weight andforces of the delivery system 399 and the material 93 when stored withinthe silo 99 are distributed between the vertical support 401 and thehorizontal support 408.

The vertical support 401 has a plurality of clamp assemblies mounted onthe vertical tubes of the vertical section of the delivery system 399;and in particular, for the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, clamp assemblies402, 403, and 404. The clamp assembly 402 is positioned on the verticaltube 393 near the upstream separator 394 for suspending and centeringthe vertical tube 393 within the silo 99. The clamp assembly 403 ispositioned on the vertical tube 395 near the downstream separator 396for suspending and centering the vertical tube 395 and the upstreamseparator 394 within the silo 99. The clamp assembly 404 is positionedon the vertical tube 397 for suspending and centering the vertical tube397 and the downstream separator 396 within the silo 99. The verticalsupport 401 further includes wall brackets on the silo wall 91, and sets405, 406, and 407 of braces interconnecting the clamp assemblies 402,403, and 404, respectively, with the wall brackets on the silo wall 91,thereby suspending and centering the vertical tubes and the separatorsof the delivery system 399 within the silo 99. The braces of each set ofbraces of the vertical support 401 are evenly spaced around therespective vertical tube. For each clamp assembly, the respective wallbrackets are evenly spaced on, and connected to, the inner surface ofthe silo wall 91 on a horizontal plane above the height of the clampassembly thereof. The silo wall 91 is thus interconnected throughout andwithin the silo 99 by the vertical support 401, specifically, for theembodiment shown in FIG. 1, the clamp assemblies 402, 403, and 404, thesets 405, 406, and 407 of the braces, and the respective wall bracketstherefor, simultaneously reinforcing the silo wall 91 against collapseof the silo 99 as well as supporting the delivery system 399.

The clamp assemblies of the vertical support 401 are identical with eachother. Each clamp assembly of the vertical support 401 includes a clamp.Each clamp has an inside circumference less than the outsidecircumference of the respective vertical tube. Each clamp is composed ofmetal plate or metal casting. Each clamp is a union of two equal halfclamps. Each half clamp has an outwardly radiating end flange on one endfor forming an end bracket, and an outwardly radiating end flange on theother end for forming another end bracket. Each half clamp also has oneor more side brackets evenly spaced between the ends of that half clamp.Each side bracket has two flanges closely spaced to, and parallel with,each other. Each side bracket has one aligning through hole formed byaligned holes in the flanges thereof. When the half clamps for eachclamp are mounted onto the respective vertical tube, the end flanges ofthose half clamps are adjacent to each other, forming the end bracketsthereof. Aligning through holes of the end brackets thereof are formedby aligned holes in the end flanges, respectively.

The wall brackets of the vertical support 401 are identical with eachother. Each wall bracket is a metal or metal casting fixture. Each wallbracket has a base and two parallel flanges. Each of the flanges has,aligned holes, forming an aligning through hole. Each wall bracket basehas two or more holes. The wall brackets are mechanically fastened orbolted to the silo wall 91.

The sets of the braces of the vertical support 401 are identical witheach other. Each brace is a metal rod or cable having two end holes, oneeach for the inner end thereof and the outer end thereof, for receivingfasteners or bolts as connectors and are secured, as by nuts when boltsare used. Each brace has a length equal to or greater than the radius ofthe silo 99, and extends radially upwardly and outwardly from the clampassembly thereof to the wall brackets. The clamp brackets each receivesthe inner end of one of the braces, respectively, and retains that innerend therein by a bolt passing through the aligning through hole of theclamp bracket and the inner end hole of the brace, respectively. Thewall brackets each receives the outer end of one of the braces,respectively, and retains that outer end therein by a bolt passingthrough the aligning through hole of the wall bracket and the outer endhole of the brace, respectively. The braces thus equally connect thebrackets of each of the clamps of the clamp assemblies of the verticalsupport 401 to the silo wall 91.

The horizontal support 408 has a plurality of clamp assemblies mountedon the horizontal tube 391 of the horizontal section of the deliverysystem 399; and in particular, for the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, clampassemblies 409 and 410. The clamp assemblies of the horizontal support408 mounted on the horizontal tube 391 are identical with each other;and, as such, the clamp assembly 409 is typical. The clamp assembly 409is shown in greater detail in FIG. 4.

The clamp assembly 409 comprises a clamp 411 having an insidecircumference less than the outside circumference of the horizontal tube391. The clamp 411 is composed of metal plate or metal casting. Theclamp 411 is a union of two equal half clamps 412 and 413.

The half clamp 412 has an outwardly radiating end flange 416 on one endfor forming an end bracket 414, and an outwardly radiating end flange417 on the other end for forming an end bracket 415. The half clamp 412has a side flange 418 evenly spaced between the ends of the half clamp412 that is radially perpendicular to the outer surface of the halfclamp 412, extending across the width of the half clamp 412. Each of theflanges 416, 417, and 418 has a through hole therein.

The half clamp 413 has an outwardly radiating end flange 419 on one endfor forming the end bracket 415, and an outwardly radiating end flange420 on the other end for forming the end bracket 414. The half clamp 413has a side flange 421 evenly spaced between the ends of the half clamp413 that is radially perpendicular to the outer surface of the halfclamp 413, extending across the width of the half clamp 413. Each of theflanges 419, 420, and 421 has a through hole therein.

When the half clamps 412 and 413 are mounted onto the horizontal tube391, as shown in FIG. 4, the end flange 416 of the half clamp 412 andthe end flange 420 of the half clamp 413 are adjacent to each other,forming the end bracket 414; and the end flange 417 of the half clamp412 and the end flange 419 of the half clamp 413 are adjacent to eachother, forming the end bracket 415. The through holes in the end flanges416 and 420 are aligned, forming an aligning through hole of the endbracket 414; and the through holes in the end flanges 417 and 419 arealigned, forming an aligning through hole of the end bracket 415.Fasteners or bolts 422 and 423 pass through the through holes of the endbrackets 414 and 415, respectively; and are secured, as by nuts whenbolts are used, joining together the half clamps 412 and 413 to form theclamp 411.

As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the horizontal support 408 furtherincludes a horizontal elbow clamp assembly 424 mounted on the horizontaltube 391 adjacent the elbow 392, and a vertical elbow clamp assembly 425mounted on the vertical tube 393 adjacent the elbow 392. The horizontalelbow clamp assembly 424, shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 11, isidentical with the clamp assemblies of the horizontal support 408mounted on the horizontal tube 391; and comprises, identically, a clamp426 that is a union of two equal half clamps 427 and 428 joined togetherby fasteners or bolts 433 and 434 passing through holes of end brackets429 and 430, respectively, that are secured, as by nuts when bolts areused. Each half clamp 427 and 428 likewise identically has a side flange431 and 432, respectively, having a through hole therein.

The vertical elbow clamp assembly 425, as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 andin more detail in FIG. 5, comprises a clamp 435 having an insidecircumference less than the outside circumference of the vertical tube393. The clamp 435 is composed of metal plate or metal casting. Theclamp 435 is a union of two equal half clamps 436 and 437.

The half clamp 436 has an outwardly radiating end flange 440 on one endfor forming an end bracket 438, and an outwardly radiating end flange441 on the other end for forming an end bracket 439. The half clamp 436has a side flange 442. The side flange 442 is circumferentiallyperpendicular to the outer surface of the half clamp 436, extendingalong the circumferential arc length between the ends of the half clamp436, and projects horizontally outwardly from the side of the half clamp436. The side flange 442 is located at about the lower edge of the halfclamp 436, and evenly spaced between the ends of the half clamp 436.Reinforcing gussets 443 and 444, generally triangularly shaped,interconnect the upper surface of the side flange 442 and the outersurface of the half clamp 436 for reinforcing the side flange 442 fromdeflecting vertically. Each of the flanges 440, 441, and 442 has athrough hole therein.

The half clamp 437 has an outwardly radiating end flange 445 on one endfor forming the end bracket 439, and an outwardly radiating end flange446 on the other end for forming the end bracket 438. The half clamp 437has a side flange 447. The side flange 447 is circumferentiallyperpendicular to the outer surface of the half clamp 437, extendingalong the circumferential arc length between the ends of the half clamp437, and projects horizontally outwardly from the side of the half clamp437. The side flange 447 is located at about the lower edge of the halfclamp 437, and evenly spaced between the ends of the half clamp 437.Reinforcing gussets 448 and 449, generally triangularly shaped,interconnect the upper surface of the side flange 447 and the outersurface of the half clamp 437 for reinforcing the side flange 447 fromdeflecting vertically. Each of the flanges 445, 446, and 447 has athrough hole therein.

When the half clamps 436 and 437 are mounted onto the vertical tube 393,as shown in FIG. 5, the end flange 440 of the half clamp 436 and the endflange 446 of the half clamp 437 are adjacent to each other, forming theend bracket 438; and the end flange 441 of the half clamp 436 and theend flange 445 of the half clamp 437 are adjacent to each other, formingthe end bracket 439. The through holes in the end flanges 440 and 446are aligned, forming an aligning through hole of the end bracket 438;and the through holes in the end flanges 441 and 445 are aligned,forming an aligning through hole of the end bracket 439. Fasteners orbolts 450 and 451 pass through the through holes of the end brackets 438and 439, respectively, and are secured, as by nuts when bolts are used,joining together the half clamps 436 and 437 to form the clamp 435.

The horizontal support 408 further includes an elbow brace 452interconnecting the horizontal elbow clamp assembly 424 and the verticalelbow clamp assembly 425 above the elbow 392, as shown in FIG. 2, FIG.5, and FIG. 11, for reinforcing the elbow clamp assemblies 424 and 425.The elbow brace 452 is a metal rod or bar having a lower end 453, anupper end 454, and two end holes, one each for the ends 453 and 454thereof, for receiving the fasteners or bolts 433 and 451, respectively.The elbow brace 452 has a plurality of storing holes 455, 456, 457, and458 along the length thereof. The clamp end bracket 429 of thehorizontal elbow clamp assembly 424 receives the lower end 453 of theelbow brace 452 and retains the lower end 453 therein by the bolt 433passing through the through hole of the clamp end bracket 429 and thelower end hole of the elbow brace 452. The clamp end bracket 439 of thevertical elbow clamp assembly 425 receives the upper end 454 of theelbow brace 452 and retains the upper end 454 therein by the bolt 451passing through the through hole of the clamp end bracket 439 and theupper end hole of the elbow brace 452.

The horizontal support 408 further includes a subframe 459 that alsointerconnects and reinforces the horizontal elbow clamp assembly 424 andthe vertical elbow clamp assembly 425. The subframe 459 is below theelbow 392, and extends underneath and between the horizontal elbow clampassembly 424 and the vertical elbow clamp assembly 425.

The subframe 459 comprises a plurality of interconnected girders, and inparticular, for the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 6, and FIG.7, girders 460, 461, 462, and 463. The subframe 459 has a generallyrectangular plan shape, either of unequal length and width or, as shownfor girders 460, 461, 462, and 463, equal length and width forming asquare. Each of the girders 460, 461, 462, and 463 is metal and has anangle cross section of either unequal or, as shown, equal flange length,and may be angle iron for ease and simplicity of construction. For theembodiment shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 6, and FIG. 7, each of thegirders 460, 461, 462, and 463 has a first of the flanges thereoforiented horizontally and on top, and a second of the flanges thereoforiented vertically and on the outer side of the subframe 459. The endsof each of the girders 460, 461, 462, and 463 are cut at angles andjoined together, as by welding, forming the rectangle of the subframe459. The subframe 459 has through holes near each end of each of thegirders 460 and 462 in the vertically oriented flanges thereof that areparallel with the elbow 392.

The subframe 459 further includes an inner set 464 of stanchions 466 and467, and an outer set 465 of stanchions 468 and 469. Each of thestanchions 466, 467, 468, and 469 is metal and has an angle crosssection of either unequal or, as shown, equal flange length, and may beangle iron for ease and simplicity of construction. Each of thestanchions 466, 467, 468, and 469 has first and second flanges thereoforiented outwardly adjacent the outer side of the subframe 459, as shownin FIG. 6. The stanchions 466, 467, 468, and 469 are attached at thelower ends thereof to the girders 460, 461, 462, and 463, as by welding,on the tops of the girders 460, 461, 462, and 463, and offset inwardlyfrom the outer side of the subframe 459, as shown in FIG. 6, by anamount equal to the thickness of the vertically oriented flanges of thegirders 460, 461, 462, and 463. Alternatively, a foot may be attached,as by welding, to the lower end of each of the stanchions, respectively,and then the feet so attached to the girders and so offset inwardly.Each of the stanchions 466, 467, 468, and 469 has a cap 470, 471, 472,and 473 attached to the upper end thereof, respectively, as by welding.Each of the caps 470, 471, 472, and 473 may be a flat plate, as shown,for ease and simplicity of construction. Each of the caps 470, 471, 472,and 473 has a through hole therein.

The inner set 464 of the stanchions 466 and 467 interconnect thehorizontal elbow clamp assembly 424 and the girders 460, 461, 462, and463 of the subframe 459. The outer set 465 of the stanchions 468 and 469interconnect the vertical elbow clamp assembly 425 and the girders 460,461, 462, and 463 of the subframe 459. The through holes in the sideflanges 431 and 432 of the horizontal elbow clamp assembly 424 alignwith the through holes in the caps 470 and 471 for connecting the caps470 and 471 with the horizontal elbow clamp assembly 424; and thethrough holes in the side flanges 447 and 442 of the vertical elbowclamp assembly 425 align with the through holes in the caps 472 and 473for connecting the caps 472 and 473 with the vertical elbow clampassembly 425. As shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 5, fasteners or bolts474, 475, 476, and 477 pass through the aligned through holes of theside flanges 431, 432, 447, and 442 and the caps 470, 471, 472, and 473,respectively, and are secured, as by nuts when bolts are used, attachingtogether the elbow clamp assemblies 424 and 425 and the subframe 459. Asshown in FIG. 3, the stanchions 466, 467, 468, and 469 are angled fromthe vertical.

The horizontal support 408 also includes a set 478 of removable supportlegs 479, 480, 481, and 482 attachable to the subframe 459 forselectively supporting the delivery system 399 upon the floor 92 of thesilo 99 by selectively supporting the subframe 459 of the horizontalsupport 408 of the support system 400 upon the silo floor 92. Each ofthe removable support legs 479, 480, 481, and 482 has first and secondflanges thereof oriented outwardly adjacent the outer side of thesubframe 459, as shown in FIG. 7. Fasteners or bolts 483, 484, 485, and486 pass through the through holes in the girders 460 and 462 that alignwith through holes in the flanges of the removable support legs 479,480, 481, and 482, respectively, and are secured, as by nuts when boltsare used, attaching the removable support legs 479, 480, 481, and 482 tothe subframe 459. When so attached, the upper ends of the removablesupport legs 479, 480, 481, and 482 are against the inner surfaces ofthe horizontally oriented flanges of the girders 460, 461, 462, and 463of the subframe 459, and the flanges of the removable support legs 479,480, 481, and 482 are against the inner surfaces of the verticallyoriented flanges of the girders 460, 461, 462, and 463 of the subframe459, offsetting the upper ends thereof inwardly from the outer side ofthe subframe 459, as shown in FIG. 7, by an amount equal to thethickness of the vertically oriented flanges of the girders 460, 461,462, and 463, so that the upper ends of the removable support legs 479,480, 481, and 482 are directly below the lower ends of the stanchions466, 467, 468, and 469.

One embodiment of the removable support legs 479, 480, 481, and 482comprises an integral support leg 487, shown in more detail in FIG. 8,that is premeasured for length to correctly space the subframe 459 fromthe silo floor 92 for selectively supporting the delivery system 399upon the silo floor 92. The support leg 487 is metal and has an anglecross section of either unequal or, as shown, equal flange length, andmay be angle iron for ease and simplicity of construction. The supportleg 487 has a plurality of through holes in both flanges thereof eitherin only the upper portion as shown, or alternatively along the fulllength thereof. One of the through holes in one of the flanges of thesupport leg 487 aligns with one of the through holes in one of thegirders 460 and 462 for receiving one of the fasteners or bolts 483,484, 485, and 486. The support leg 487 has a foot 488 attached to thelower end thereof, as by welding. The foot 488 may be a flat plate, asshown, for ease and simplicity of construction. The foot 488 has alocking pin 489 attached, as by welding, to the lower surface thereof.

The horizontal support 408 also includes a set of removable support legsattachable to each of the clamp assemblies thereof for selectivelysupporting the delivery system 399 upon the floor 92 of the silo 99 byselectively supporting the clamp assemblies of the horizontal support408 of the support system 400 upon the silo floor 92; and in particular,for the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, sets 490 and 491 of removablesupport legs 492 and 493, and 494 and 495 for the clamp assemblies 409and 410, respectively.

One embodiment of the removable support legs 492 and 493, and 494 and495 comprises a separable support leg 496, shown in more detail in FIG.9. The support leg 496 comprises an upper leg section 497 and a lowerleg section 498. The upper leg section 497 is metal and has an anglecross section of either unequal or, as shown, equal flange length, andmay be angle iron for ease and simplicity of construction. The upper legsection 497 has two through holes in a first flange 499 thereof, and astoring hole 501 in a second flange 500 thereof. The upper leg section497 has a cap 502 attached to the upper end thereof, as by welding. Thecap 502 may be a flat plate, as shown, for ease and simplicity ofconstruction. The cap 502 has a through hole therein. The upper legsection 497 has a standard length and configuration.

The lower leg section 498 is metal and has an angle cross section ofeither unequal or, as shown, equal flange length, and may be angle ironfor ease and simplicity of construction. The lower leg section 498 has aplurality of through holes in both flanges thereof along the full lengththereof. Fasteners or bolts 503 and 505 pass through the two throughholes in the first flange 499 of the upper leg section 497 that alignwith two of the through holes in one of the flanges of the lower legsection 498, respectively, and are secured, as by nuts 504 and 506 whenbolts are used, attaching the leg sections 497 and 498 together, formingthe support leg 496. When so attached, the flanges of the lower legsection 498 are against the inner surfaces of the flanges of the upperleg section 497, offsetting the lower end of the lower leg section 498from the upper end of the upper leg section 497 by an amount equal tothe thickness of the flanges of the upper leg section 497.

In the embodiment of the support leg 496 as shown in FIG. 9, the lowerleg section 498 is of stock material. The correct length is measured, atthe silo 99 either during or after installation of the delivery system399 or the support system 400 or any other convenient time such as whenany of the removable support legs 492, 493, 494, or 495 or leg sectionsthereof are replaced, to correctly space each of the clamp assemblies ofthe horizontal support 408 of the support system 400 from the silo floor92 for selectively supporting the delivery system 399 upon the silofloor 92. After the correct length has been measured, the lower legsection 498 is cut from the stock material, and a foot 507 is attachedto the lower end thereof, as by welding. The foot 507 may be a flatplate, as shown, for ease and simplicity of construction. The foot 507has a locking pin 508 attached, as by welding, to the lower surfacethereof.

The through holes in the side flanges of the clamp assemblies 409 and410 of the horizontal support 408 align with the through holes in thecaps of the removable support legs 492 and 493, and 494 and 495. Asshown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 11, fasteners or bolts 509, 510, 511, and 512pass through the aligned through holes of these side flanges and thesecaps, respectively, and are secured, as by nuts when bolts are used,attaching the removable support legs 492 and 493, and 494 and 495 to theclamp assemblies 409 and 410. When so attached, as shown in FIG. 10, theremovable support legs 492 and 493, and 494 and 495 are oriented so thatthe flanges through which the fasteners or bolts 503 and 505 pass toattach the respective leg sections 497 and 498 together are orientedinwardly, parallel with the horizontal section of the delivery system399, and the other flanges thereof are oriented perpendicularlyoutwardly. Each upper leg section 497 of the respective removablesupport legs 492 and 493, and 494 and 495 of each of the sets 490 and491 thereof are horizontally aligned with each other and the clampassemblies 409 and 410 thereof, respectively, when so attached; however,due to the offsetting of the lower leg section 498 from the upper legsection 497 of the respective removable support legs 492 and 493, and494 and 495, the respective lower leg section 498 of each of the sets490 and 491 of the removable support legs 492 and 493, and 494 and 495are horizontally offset.

The removable support legs of the horizontal support 408 arerotationally symmetric. As shown in FIG. 10, and further shown in FIG.2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 7, the removable support legs 479, 480, 481, and 482that are attachable to the subframe 459 differ from each other only inorientation by a rotation of ninety degrees, in order from leg 479 toleg 480 to leg 481 to leg 482, about an axis that is parallel with bothflanges of the respective removable support leg. As shown in FIG. 10,and further shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 4, the removable supportlegs 492 and 493, and 494 and 495 of each of the sets 490 and 491thereof that are attachable to the clamp assemblies 409 and 410,respectively, differ from each other only in orientation by a rotationof one hundred eighty degrees, in order from leg 492 to leg 493 and fromleg 494 to leg 495, about an axis that is parallel with both flanges ofthe respective removable support leg. This simplifies construction andmaintenance by not requiring to have right-hand and left-hand variantsof the removable support legs of the horizontal support 408.

Another embodiment of the removable support legs that are attachable tothe subframe 459 comprises a separable support leg, based uponmeasurements made at the silo 99, identical to the separable support leg496 hereinbefore described and as shown in FIG. 9 but lacking the cap502 thereof. Yet other embodiments of the removable support legs thatare attachable to the subframe 459 comprise either an integral supportleg, identical to the integral support leg 487 hereinbefore describedand as shown in FIG. 8, or a separable support leg, identical to theseparable support leg 496 hereinbefore described and as shown in FIG. 9,but that also includes a cap attached to the upper end thereof, as bywelding.

Another embodiment of the removable support legs that are attachable tothe clamp assemblies of the horizontal support 408 comprises apremeasured integral support leg, identical to the integral support leg487 hereinbefore described and as shown in FIG. 8 but including a capidentically as the separable support leg 496 has the cap 502hereinbefore described and as shown in FIG. 9.

The removable support legs of the horizontal support 408 selectivelysupport the delivery system 399 upon the floor 92 of the silo 99. Eachof the removable support legs is attachable to the horizontal support408 in either a deployed position thereof or a stored position thereof.When in the deployed positions thereof, the removable support legs ofthe horizontal support 408 interconnect the horizontal support 408 andthe silo floor 92, supporting the delivery system 399 thereupon. Theremovable support legs of the horizontal support 408 are removable fromthe deployed positions thereof, and may be placed in the storedpositions thereof on the horizontal support 408, to provide anunobstructed floor area for mechanical or manual sweeping of the silofloor 92.

FIG. 2 shows the deployed positions of the removable support legs of thehorizontal support 408. For the set 478 of the removable support legs479, 480, 481, and 482 that are attachable to the subframe 459, thefasteners or bolts 483, 484, 485, and 486 therefor selectively mount theset 478 of the removable support legs 479, 480, 481, and 482 in thedeployed positions thereof by removably attaching the removable supportlegs 479, 480, 481, and 482 to the subframe 459, as shown in FIG. 2,FIG. 3, and FIG. 7. For the sets 490 and 491 of the removable supportlegs 492 and 493, and 494 and 495 that are attachable to the clampassemblies 409 and 410, respectively, the fasteners or bolts 509, 510,511, and 512 therefor selectively mount the sets 490 and 491 of theremovable support legs 492 and 493, and 494 and 495 in the deployedpositions thereof by removably attaching the removable support legs 492and 493, and 494 and 495 to the clamp assemblies 409 and 410,respectively, as shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 4, and FIG. 11.

The locking pins on the feet of the removable support legs of thehorizontal support 408, as the locking pin 489 of the foot 488 shown inFIG. 8 and the locking pin 508 of the foot 507 shown in FIG. 9,selectively lock the lower ends of the removable support legs, when theremovable support legs are in the deployed positions thereof, byremovably fitting into sockets in the silo floor 92, as shown in FIG. 4for the locking pins 513 and 514 and the sockets 515 and 516 for the set490 of the removable support legs 492 and 493.

FIG. 12 shows the stored positions of the removable support legs of thehorizontal support 408. For the set 478 of the removable support legs479, 480, 481, and 482 that are attachable to the subframe 459, thefasteners or bolts 483, 484, 485, and 486 therefor are removed therefromand the set 478 of the removable support legs 479, 480, 481, and 482 areremoved from the deployed positions thereof. Subsequently, the removablesupport legs 479, 480, 482, and 481 may be placed adjacent the elbowbrace 452 on opposite sides thereof and aligned with every other of thestoring holes 455, 456, 457, and 458 thereof for clearance therebetween.When so placed, the fasteners or bolts 483, 484, 486, and 485 are thenpassed through the storing holes 455, 456, 457, and 458 of the elbowbrace 452 and the aligned through holes of the removable support legs479, 480, 482, and 481, respectively, selectively mounting the set 478of the removable support legs 479, 480, 481, and 482 in the storedpositions thereof by removably attaching the removable support legs 479,480, 481, and 482 to the elbow brace 452, as shown in FIG. 12.

For the sets 490 and 491 of the removable support legs 492 and 493, and494 and 495 that are attachable to the clamp assemblies 409 and 410,respectively, the fasteners or bolts 509, 510, 511, and 512 therefor areremoved therefrom and the sets 490 and 491 of the removable support legs492 and 493, and 494 and 495 are removed from the deployed positionsthereof. Subsequently, the removable support legs 492 and 493, and 494and 495 may be placed so that the storing hole 501 of each of theremovable support legs 492 and 493, and 494 and 495 is aligned with andbelow the through hole of the side flange of the clamp assemblies 409and 410, respectively. When so placed, the fasteners or bolts 509, 510,511, and 512 are then passed through the through holes of the sideflanges of the clamp assemblies 409 and 410 and the aligned storingholes 501 of the removable support legs 492 and 493, and 494 and 495,respectively, selectively mounting the sets 490 and 491 of the removablesupport legs 492 and 493, and 494 and 495 in the stored positionsthereof by removably attaching the removable support legs 492 and 493,and 494 and 495 to the clamp assemblies 409 and 410, respectively, asshown in FIG. 12.

When in the stored positions thereof, the locking pins on the feet ofthe removable support legs of the horizontal support 408, as the lockingpin 489 of the foot 488 shown in FIG. 8 and the locking pin 508 of thefoot 507 shown in FIG. 9, are removed from the sockets therefor in thesilo floor 92, as shown in FIG. 12.

Another embodiment of the present invention comprises a bin sweep bumper517. As shown in FIG. 13, the bin sweep bumper 517 has a crossbeam 518and a plurality of supports 519 and 520. The supports 519 and 520 eachhas a fastener or bolt 521 and 522, respectively, for attaching the binsweep bumper 517 to a mechanical bin sweep 523. The mechanical bin sweep523 is known in the art for mechanically sweeping the silo floor duringthe emptying of the silo. As shown in FIG. 14, the mechanical bin sweep523 has a plurality of the bin sweep bumpers, and in particular binsweep bumpers 524 and 525, generally identical with the bin sweep bumper517 shown in FIG. 13, one for each set of the removable support legsthat is attachable to the clamp assemblies, respectively, of thehorizontal support 408. Each bin sweep bumper, when mount on andattached to the mechanical bin sweep 523, is aligned with one of thesets of the removable support legs of the horizontal support 408. Eachbin sweep bumper, when so mounted and attached, projects beyond themechanical bin sweep 523 in the direction of movement thereof. The binsweep bumpers protect the mechanical bin sweep 523 from damage, when themechanical bin sweep is moving during the emptying of the silo, due toimpacting against the removable support legs of the horizontal support408 when in the deployed positions thereof, by bumping first against theremovable support legs of the horizontal support 408 before themechanical bin sweep 523 itself can impact thereagainst.

Another embodiment of the present invention comprises a deflector 600,shown schematically in FIG. 1. The deflector 600 protects the horizontalsection of the delivery system 399 from damage, as by crushing of thehorizontal tube 391 thereof, that may occur during delivery of thematerial 93 into the silo 99 or settling of the material 93 within thesilo 99 during storage thereof or during emptying of the material 93from the silo 99.

The deflector 600 has at least one angled wall, and in particular, forthe embodiment shown in FIG. 4 and also FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, a firstangled wall 601 and a second angled wall 602. The walls 601 and 602 ofthe deflector 600 are flat metal, and are formed from a single piece ofmetal bent into an inverted V shape for ease and simplicity ofconstruction. Alternatively, the walls of the deflector 600 may beformed from a plurality of pieces; and alternatively, the walls of thedeflector 600 may be curved. A plurality of crossbeams, not shown,interconnect and reinforce the angled walls 601 and 602, and areattached thereto, as by welding. As shown in FIG. 4, the deflector 600also has a flange that is mechanically fastened or bolted to the silowall 91 for connecting and supporting the end of the deflector 600adjacent to the silo wall 91 thereto.

The deflector 600 further includes a set of stanchions, attached to eachof the clamp assemblies of the horizontal support 408 of the supportsystem 400 that is mounted on the horizontal tube 391 of the horizontalsection of the delivery system 399, for supporting the deflector 600above generally the horizontal section of the delivery system 399; andin particular, for the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 11, sets 603,604, and 605 of stanchions 606 and 607, 608 and 609, and 610 and 611 forthe clamp assemblies 409, 410, and 424, respectively.

Each of the stanchions 606 and 607, 608 and 609, and 610 and 611 ismetal and has an angle cross section of either unequal or, as shown,equal flange length, and may be angle iron for ease and simplicity ofconstruction. Each of the stanchions 606 and 607, 608 and 609, and 610and 611 has first and second flanges thereof oriented identically withthe flanges of the removable support legs 492 and 493, and 494 and 495and the stanchions 466 and 467, respectively, as shown in FIG. 11 andFIG. 10. The upper ends of the stanchions 606 and 607, 608 and 609, and610 and 611 are cut at an angle to match the angle of the deflectorwalls 601 and 602, and are attached to the deflector walls 601 and 602,as by welding. Each of the stanchions 606 and 607, 608 and 609, and 610and 611 has a foot 612 and 613, 614 and 615, and 616 and 617 attached tothe lower end thereof, respectively, as by welding. Each of the feet 612and 613, 614 and 615, and 616 and 617 may be a flat plate, as shown, forease and simplicity of construction. Each of the feet 612 and 613, 614and 615, and 616 and 617 has a through hole therein.

The through holes in the side flanges of the clamp assemblies 409, 410,and 424 align with the through holes in the feet 612 and 613, 614 and615, and 616 and 617, respectively. As shown in FIG. 11, the fastenersor bolts 509, 510, 511, 512, 474, and 475 pass through the alignedthrough holes of the side flanges of the clamp assemblies 409, 410, and424 and of the feet 612 and 613, 614 and 615, and 616 and 617,respectively, and are secured, as by nuts when bolts are used, attachingtogether the deflector 600 and the clamp assemblies 409, 410, and 424 ofthe horizontal support 408. When so attached, and when the removablesupport legs 492 and 493, and 494 and 495 are in the deployed positionsthereof as shown in FIG. 2, the feet of the deflector 600 and the capsof the sets 490 and 491 of the removable support legs of the horizontalsupport 408 and of the inner set 464 of the stanchions of the subframe459 sandwich the side flanges of the clamp assemblies 409, 410, and 424,respectively, as shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 4. When so attached,and when the removable support legs 492 and 493, and 494 and 495 are inthe deployed positions thereof as shown in FIG. 2, the flanges of thestanchions 606 and 607, 608 and 609, and 610 and 611 of the deflector600 align with the flanges of the removable support legs 492 and 493,and 494 and 495 and of the stanchions 466 and 467, respectively, asshown in FIG. 2, FIG. 10, and FIG. 11.

This description of the present invention is not intended to be limitedto only metal materials. Plastic and rubber may also be substituted forany or all parts. The present invention also lends itself to colorfuldisplays including confectionaries through the use of clear glass orclear plastic materials.

OPERATION

The delivery system 399 of the present invention operates toautomatically sequentially fill the storage silo 99 with the material 93when the material is transported to the silo 99 by a conveyor entrainingthe material within a flow of fluid. In the embodiment of the presentinvention shown in FIG. 1, that conveyor is the conventional pneumaticconveyor 94 that entrains the material within a flow of air fordepositing the material 93 into the silo 99.

In one embodiment of the present invention that operates toautomatically sequentially fill the storage silo 99, the pneumaticconveyor 94 operates at a relatively lower pressure. As the pneumaticconveyor 94 begins to convey the pneumatic material flow into thedelivery system 399, filling of the storage silo 99 commences. Thehorizontal tube 391 of the delivery system 399 receives the pneumaticmaterial flow from the pneumatic conveyor 94 and conveys the pneumaticmaterial flow into the silo 99. The elbow 392 directs the pneumaticmaterial flow from the horizontal tube 391 vertically into the verticaltube 393 that conveys the pneumatic material flow upwardly anddownstream within the silo 99.

In this one embodiment of the present invention, the vertical tube 393conveys the pneumatic material flow upwardly and downstream into thefirst material separator of the delivery system 399, which in theembodiment shown in FIG. 1 is the upstream separator 394. The pneumaticmaterial flow expands from the inlet of the first material separatorinto the increased diametric volume of the forcing cone within thematerial separator. Insufficient air pressure results in a chokingaction within the material separator, specifically within the volume ofthe forcing cone of the material separator, separating the material 93from the airflow. A flow of the separated material 93 is automaticallydeposited downwardly by gravity out of the material separator throughthe outlet thereof and into the silo 99, forming a mound of theseparated material 93 having a material surface. The airflow is rapidlyreleased upwardly through the outlet tube of the material separator andalso downwardly through the outlet thereof. The released air is ventedfrom the silo 99 through equalizing vents (not shown).

As the material separator, specifically the upstream separator 394,continues to separate the material 93 in accordance with the embodimentof the present invention, the flow of the separated material 93 raisesthe level of the material surface within the silo 99 to eventually meetwith and block the outlet of the material separator. This blocking ofthis outlet automatically stops the flow, and the depositing, of theseparated material 93 being deposited out of the material separatorthrough the outlet thereof into the silo 99. The air pressure within thematerial separator rises to be sufficient for continued downstreamconveying, automatically stopping the separating within the materialseparator. The pneumatic material flow reestablishes within the materialseparator.

The outlet tube, which in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is the verticaltube 395, of the material separator conveys the reestablished pneumaticmaterial flow upwardly and downstream into the material separator of thedelivery system 399 that is the next material separator that isdownstream of the first material separator. In the embodiment shown inFIG. 1, that next material separator is the downstream separator 396.The downstream separator 396, which is that next material separator,then separates the material 93 from the airflow in the identicaloperation as that of the previous material separator (the upstreamseparator 394 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1). The flow of theseparated material 93 is deposited out of the downstream separator 396onto the mound of the material 93 that had been deposited out of theupstream separator 394, the separated material 93 falling at most onlyas far as the previous material separator (the upstream separator 394 inthe embodiment shown in FIG. 1), again raising the level of the materialsurface.

This operation of separating the material, flowing the material,depositing the material, then stopping the flowing and the depositing ofthe material by blocking the outlet, and then reestablishing thepneumatic material flow to convey upwardly the pneumatic material flowinto the next material separator that is downstream is repeated for eachof the material separators of the delivery system 399 in sequence fromthe bottom of the silo 99 to the top of the silo 99. The final separatorin this sequence is the top separator 398, which operates similarly asall the other material separators operate. The cap of the top separator398 redirects any flow through the second outlet of the top separator398 downwardly and out of the top separator 398 into the silo 99.

In another embodiment of the present invention that operates toautomatically sequentially fill the storage silo 99, the pneumaticconveyor 94 operates at a relatively higher pressure. Again, as thepneumatic conveyor 94 begins to convey pneumatic material flow, which isidentical to the pneumatic material flow hereinbefore described exceptthat the airflow from the blower of the pneumatic conveyor 94 is at therelatively higher pressure, into the delivery system 399, filling of thestorage silo 99 commences. The horizontal tube 391 of the deliverysystem 399 receives the pneumatic material flow from the pneumaticconveyor 94 and conveys the pneumatic material flow into the silo 99.The elbow 392 directs the pneumatic material flow from the horizontaltube 391 vertically into the vertical tube 393 that conveys thepneumatic material flow upwardly and downstream within the silo 99.

In this other embodiment of the present invention, the vertical tube 393conveys the pneumatic material flow upwardly and downstream into thefirst material separator of the delivery system 399, which in theembodiment shown in FIG. 1 is the upstream separator 394. The pneumaticmaterial flow continues approximately unchanged from the inlet of thefirst material separator into the increased diametric volume of theforcing cone within the material separator to the through aperturethereof, expanding by only a small percentage. Most of the pneumaticmaterial flow flows through the through aperture of the materialseparator upwardly to the distal side of the through aperture into thecylindrical volume of the outlet tube of the material separator.Insufficient air pressure results in a choking action within thematerial separator, specifically within the cylindrical volume of theoutlet tube of the material separator, separating the material 93 fromthe airflow, automatically resulting in a gravimetric flow of theseparated material 93 downwardly within the cylindrical volume of theoutlet tube thereof, through the through aperture of the materialseparator to the proximal side of the through aperture, and downwardlywithin the volume of the forcing cone of the material separator. Theflow of the separated material 93 is downwardly through an outer annularportion of the through aperture of the material separator simultaneouslywith the pneumatic material flow that is upwardly through an innercentral portion of the through aperture of the material separator. Theouter annular portion and the inner central portion are generallycoaxial with this through aperture. The flow of the separated material93 is automatically deposited downwardly by gravity out of the materialseparator through the outlet thereof and into the silo 99, forming amound of the separated material 93 having a material surface. Theairflow is rapidly released upwardly through the upper portion of theoutlet tube of the material separator; some of the airflow is alsoreleased downwardly through the outlet thereof. The released air isvented from the silo 99 through equalizing vents (not shown).

As the material separator, specifically the upstream separator 394,continues to separate the material 93 in accordance with this otherembodiment of the present invention, the flow of the separated material93 raises the level of the material surface within the silo 99 toeventually meet with and block the outlet of the material separator.This blocking of this outlet automatically stops the flow, and thedepositing, of the separated material 93 being deposited out of thematerial separator through the outlet thereof into the silo 99. The airpressure within the material separator rises to be sufficient forcontinued downstream conveying, automatically stopping the separatingwithin the material′separator. The pneumatic material flow reestablisheswithin the material separator.

The outlet tube, which in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is the verticaltube 395, of the material separator conveys the reestablished pneumaticmaterial flow upwardly and downstream into the material separator of thedelivery system 399 that is the next material separator that isdownstream of the first material separator. In the embodiment shown inFIG. 1, that next material separator is the downstream separator 396.The downstream separator 396, which is that next material separator,then separates the material 93 from the airflow in the identicaloperation as that of the previous material separator (the upstreamseparator 394 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1). The flow of theseparated material 93 is deposited out of the downstream separator 396onto the mound of the material 93 that had been deposited out of theupstream separator 394, the separated material 93 falling at most onlyas far as the previous material separator (the upstream separator 394 inthe embodiment shown in FIG. 1), again raising the level of the materialsurface.

This operation of separating the material, flowing the material,depositing the material, then stopping the flowing and the depositing ofthe material by blocking the outlet, and then reestablishing thepneumatic material flow to convey upwardly the pneumatic material flowinto the next material separator that is downstream is repeated for eachof the material separators of the delivery system 399 in sequence fromthe bottom of the silo 99 to the top of the silo 99. The final separatorin this sequence is the top separator 398, which operates in accordancewith the embodiment of the present invention operating at the relativelylower pressure as hereinbefore described. The cap of the top separatorredirects any flow through the second outlet of the top separator 398downwardly and out of the top separator 398 into the silo 99.

Thus, for each separator, in each of the two embodiments of the presentinvention of operating thereof, the separator functions selectively ineither one of two modes of operation. In one mode of operation, theseparator separates the material from the airflow entraining thematerial and flows the separated material through the outlet thereof. Inanother mode of operation, the airflow entraining the material flowsthrough the separator without separating the material therefrom andwithout flowing separated material through the outlet thereof. Theselection between the two modes of operation is automatic, based onwhether the surface of the mound of the deposited material does or doesnot block the outlet of the separator through which the separatedmaterial is deposited onto the mound. The selectively separating andselectively flowing requires no moving parts. Thus, for each separator,the separator selectively separates the material and selectively flowsthe separated material into the silo to sequentially fill the silo up tothe height that the separator is located within the silo.

Further, the vertical support 401 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 hasa plurality of the clamp assemblies to suspend and center the series ofthe tubes and the separators of the delivery system of the presentinvention. Simultaneously, the clamp assemblies, with the sets of bracesthereof and the respective wall brackets, reinforce the silo wallagainst collapse of the silo by resisting the bowing outwards of thesilo wall from the weight of the delivery system, the weight and anymovement of the stored granular material within the silo, etc.; and, ifthe braces are rods, by also resisting the bowing inwards of the silowall therefrom. The clamp assemblies are structurally attached to thesilo wall through the sets of braces and the plurality of brackets todistribute pressure. The distribution of the wall brackets throughoutthe silo provides even weight transfer to the silo wall. The two equalhalf clamps of the clamps of the clamp assemblies simplify construction.The clamps of the clamp assemblies provide for even load transfer andstabilization through the application of opposing clamp brackets.Suspension of the delivery system of the present invention within thesilo also provides an unobstructed floor area for mechanical or manualsweeping.

In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the material 93stored within the storage silo 99, having a support system 400supporting a delivery system 399 as shown schematically in FIG. 1, isremoved therefrom when emptying the silo 99. In order to provide thesilo floor 92 to be unobstructed by the support legs of the horizontalsupport 408 of the support system 400 for mechanical or manual sweepingof the silo floor 92, the removable support legs of the horizontalsupport 408 are removed from the deployed positions thereof, and may beplaced in the stored positions thereof on the horizontal support 408.

In this yet other embodiment of the present invention, the material 93is extracted from the silo 99, as is known in the art, until the set 478of the removable support legs 479, 480, 481, and 482 attached to thesubframe 459 is accessible out of the material 93, as shown in FIG. 15.The interior of the silo 99 is accessed through a manual access port(not shown). The set 478 of the removable support legs 479, 480, 481,and 482 is removed from the deployed positions thereof, as shown in FIG.16, by removing the fasteners or bolts 483, 484, 485, and 486 attachingthe removable support legs 479, 480, 481, and 482 to the subframe 459and subsequently moving the upper portions of the removable support legs479, 480, 481, and 482 toward each other. This separates the removablesupport legs 479, 480, 481, and 482 from the subframe 459 and removesthe locking pins thereof from the sockets therefor in the silo floor 92.

As shown in FIG. 16, the set 478 of the removable support legs 479, 480,481, and 482 may be placed in the stored positions thereof by placingthe removable support legs 479, 480, 481, and 482 adjacent the elbowbrace 452 on opposite sides thereof. Each of the removable support legs479, 480, 481, and 482 is rotated vertically ninety degrees so that oneof the flanges thereof is adjacent the elbow brace and the other of theflanges thereof extends outwardly away therefrom, as shown in FIG. 12.Through holes of the removable support legs 479, 480, 482, and 481 arealigned with every other of the storing holes 455, 456, 457, and 458 ofthe elbow brace 452 for clearance between the removable support legs 479and 482, and 480 and 481. When so placed, the fasteners or bolts 483,484, 486, and 485 are then passed through the storing holes 455, 456,457, and 458 of the elbow brace 452 and the aligned through holes of theremovable support legs 479, 480, 482, and 481, respectively, and looselysecured, attaching the removable support legs 479, 480, 481, and 482 tothe elbow brace 452 for removably storing the removable support legs479, 480, 481, and 482 to the elbow brace 452 in the stored positionsthereof. The removable support legs 479, 480, 482, and 481 hangdownwardly from the elbow brace 452 at an angle from vertical againstthe elbow 392 of the delivery system 399.

The silo 99 may be equipped with the bin sweep 523 having the pluralityof the bin sweep bumpers 517. The bin sweep 523 may be advantageouslypreviously positioned, when the silo 99 is approximately empty, in frontof and near the removable support legs of the horizontal support 408,and in particular support legs 492 and 494 for a counterclockwiserevolution of the bin sweep 523 similarly as shown in FIG. 18, such thatthe bin sweep 523 makes a maximum revolution before any of the bumpers517 bumps into any of the removable support legs. (For aclockwise-revolving bin sweep so equipped with the bin sweep bumpersthat is so previously positioned, that bin sweep would be in front ofand near support legs 493 and 495.)

When the silo 99 is so equipped as shown in FIG. 14, subsequently thebin sweep 523 is operated to continue to extract more of the material 93until one of the bumpers 517 bumps into the next removable support leg,that is next spaced radially outwardly from the removable support legs479, 480, 481, and 482 attachable to the subframe 459, still mounted inthe deployed position thereof, and in particular, as shown in FIG. 16,bumper 525 bumps into the removable support leg 495 attached to theclamp assembly 410. The bin sweep 523 is then stopped. The removablesupport leg 495 is removed from the deployed position thereof, as shownin FIG. 17, by removing the fastener or bolt 512 attaching the removablesupport leg 495 to the side flange of the clamp assembly 410 andsubsequently moving the upper portion of the removable support leg 495away from the clamp assembly 410. This separates the removable supportleg 495 from the side flange of the clamp assembly 410 and removes thelocking pin thereof from the socket therefor in the silo floor 92.

The removable support leg 495 may be placed in the stored positionthereof, as shown in FIG. 17, by placing the storing hole 501 of theremovable support leg 495 aligned with and below the through hole of theside flange of the clamp assembly 410. The removable support leg 495 isrotated ninety degrees from the vertical to the horizontal clockwise, sothat the locking pin thereof is oriented inwardly of the silo 99, asshown in FIG. 12. When so placed, the fastener or bolt 512 is thenpassed through the through hole of the side flange of the clamp assembly410 and the aligned storing hole 501 of the removable support leg 495and secured, as by the nut when the bolt is used, attaching theremovable support leg 495 to the clamp assembly 410 for removablystoring the removable support leg 495 to the clamp assembly 410 in thestored position thereof.

The removable support legs attached to the clamp assemblies of thehorizontal support 408 on the same side as that of the removable supportleg 495, as removable support leg 493, likewise, when so rotatedclockwise, orient so that the locking pins thereof are oriented inwardlyof the silo 99. When the removable support legs attached to the clampassemblies of the horizontal support 408 on the opposite side as that ofthe removable support leg 495, as the removable support legs 492 and494, are so rotated clockwise, they orient so that the locking pinsthereof are oriented outwardly of the silo 99, as shown in FIG. 12.

Subsequently the bin sweep 523 is again operated to continue to extractmore of the material 93 until one of the bumpers 517 bumps into anotherof the removable support legs, that is so spaced radially outwardly,still mounted in the deployed position thereof, and in particular, asshown in FIG. 17, bumper 524 bumps into the removable support leg 493attached to the clamp assembly 409. The bin sweep 523 is then stoppedagain. The removable support leg 493 is likewise removed from thedeployed position thereof as was the removable support leg 495, as shownin FIG. 18, and likewise may be placed in the stored position thereof.

This sequentially operating the bin sweep 523 until one of the bumpers517 bumps into another of the removable support legs still mounted inthe deployed position thereof, stopping the bin sweep 523, and thenremoving that support leg which then may be placed in the storedposition thereof continues until all of the removable support legs thatare in the deployed positions thereof are so removed which then may beso placed stored, as shown in FIG. 18. Afterwards, the silo floor 92 isunobstructed by the removable support legs of the horizontal support 408of the support system 400, and the bin sweep 523 can be operated withoutdamage thereto, and/or manual sweeping can occur, to continue to extractmore of the material 93 from the silo 99.

I claim:
 1. A method of removing material from a storage, wherein thestorage has an outlet of a conveyor for delivering the material to thestorage, a system for supporting the outlet within the storagecomprising a plurality of spaced, removable legs mounted in deployedpositions, and a sweep comprising bumpers, wherein said methodcomprises: operating the sweep to extract the material until one of thebumpers bumps into one of the legs that is mounted in the deployedposition thereof; stopping the sweep; removing the one leg from thedeployed position thereof; continuing said operating and said stoppingthe sweep sequentially for each of the legs that is still mounted in thedeployed position thereof, and removing respectively each of the legsthat is still mounted in the deployed position thereof from the deployedposition thereof, until all of the legs are removed from the deployedpositions thereof; and operating the sweep to continue extracting moreof the material.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising placingeach of the legs, after said removing thereof respectively, onto thesupporting system in a stored position thereof.
 3. The method of claim1, further comprising previously positioning the sweep in front of thelegs, when the legs are mounted in the deployed positions thereof, whenthe storage is approximately empty.
 4. A method of removing materialfrom a storage, wherein the storage has an outlet of a conveyor fordelivering the material to the storage, a system for supporting theoutlet within the storage comprising a plurality of spaced, removablelegs mounted in deployed positions, and a sweep comprising bumpers,wherein said method comprises: extracting the material until at leastone of the removable legs is accessible out of the material; removingthe at least one leg from the deployed position thereof; placing the atleast one leg onto the supporting system in a stored position thereof;operating the sweep to continue extracting more of the material untilone of the bumpers bumps into another of the legs that is still mountedin the deployed position thereof; stopping the sweep; removing the otherleg from the deployed position thereof; placing the other leg onto thesupporting system in a stored position thereof; continuing saidoperating and said stopping the sweep sequentially for each of the legsthat is still mounted in the deployed position thereof, and removing andplacing, respectively, each of the legs that is still mounted in thedeployed position thereof from the deployed position thereof onto thesupporting system in a stored position thereof until all of the legs arein the stored positions thereof; and operating the sweep to continueextracting more of the material.
 5. The method of claim 4, furthercomprising previously positioning the sweep in front of the legs, whenthe legs are mounted in the deployed positions thereof, when the storageis approximately empty.
 6. A method of removing material from a storage,wherein the storage has an outlet of a conveyor for delivering thematerial to the storage, a system for supporting the outlet within thestorage comprising a plurality of removable first legs mounted indeployed positions and a plurality of removable second legs mounted indeployed positions and spaced from the first legs, and a sweepcomprising bumpers, wherein said method comprises: extracting thematerial until the removable first legs are accessible out of thematerial; removing the first legs from the deployed positions thereof;operating the sweep to continue extracting more of the material untilone of the bumpers bumps into one of the removable second legs; stoppingthe sweep; removing the one leg from the deployed position thereof;continuing said operating and said stopping the sweep sequentially foreach of the second legs that is still mounted in the deployed positionthereof, and removing respectively each of the second legs that is stillmounted in the deployed position thereof from the deployed positionthereof, until all of the second legs are removed from the deployedpositions thereof; and operating the sweep to continue extracting moreof the material.
 7. The method of claim 6, further comprising placingthe first legs, after said removing thereof, onto the supporting systemin a stored position thereof.
 8. The method of claim 7, furthercomprising placing each of the second legs, after said removing thereofrespectively, onto the supporting system in a stored position thereof.